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You
You is a white kitten, given to Granny Weatherwax by Tiffany Aching in a mood of calculated headology. She first appeared in Wintersmith. ''Granny was a known ailurophobe (person who fears or hates cats) but it is a well known fact that in many cultures a cat either the essential accessory for the working witch (preferably black), or else a natural development in the life of an eccentric old spinster who lives on her own. Granny qualifies on both counts. You's name flows from the admonition "''Stop that, '''You'," which is a milder version of the name ''"gerrofoutofityoubugger!" which is the pronunciation of Greebo used by most people who have met him. Granny reluctantly accepted the burden of being owned by a cat, (naïve people refer to this as "cat ownership", which is correct, but then get the relationship of "owned" and "owner" exactly wrong.) You quickly trained Granny into taking her everywhere she went. As a kitten, You reclined in the warmth and comfort of the space between Granny's tightly bunned hair and pointy hat. By I Shall Wear Midnight, she was draping herself across Granny's shoulders like a recumbent queen, where she could (rarely) grace someone with the immeasurable honor of blinking at them for a second or two, before losing interest. You's self-evident mastery of headology ensured that she ate better than anyone else in the Weatherwax household: whilst Granny and Miss Tick dined on watery bacon soup, You enjoys the luxury of chicken scraps. You is the only other living creature that Nanny Ogg's cat Greebo is terrified of - not quite the fluffy white calendar kitty you might otherwise be expecting as she quickly establishes her dominance in the relationship with the older brute. Greebo tends to leave home or hide whenever Granny visits Nanny Ogg. The image of a traditional witch with an all white cat has its roots in early witch craft. White cats were associated with the moon, Celtic goddesses and witches from an early era and the black cat was really a late Victorian era creation. In addition, Tiffany may have chosen the colour because of her dislike for the colour black; a colour with strong negative associations to her apprenticeship with Miss Eumenides Treason who insisted that everything in her cottage be black, Tiffany even having to use black wax on the rind of the cheese she made so that it fit with the decor. By I Shall Wear Midnight, You is a stately and queenly cat, firmly ensconced on Granny's shoulders like a mink stole. In ''The Shepherd's Crown, after ''Granny death, You transfers her loyalty to Tiffany. It is made quite clear though that she is choosing Tiffany, not that Tiffany is assuming ownership. She travels everywhere with Tiffany and it is inferred that Granny's soul or spirit has been temporarily transferred into You until the Elves are dealt with and Tiffany is firmly on her feet in her new role as 'first among equals' of the witches. Category:Characters Category:Cats Category:Species Category:Animals